1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to monitoring devices for determining whether a package has been opened. Still more particularly, the present invention is a method and apparatus for determining whether a particular package has been opened after a monitoring device was installed in the package.
2. Description of the Related Art
Theft of products is a major problem facing retailers. Theft is an especially significant problem with digital media products, such as computer software, DVDs, music CDs, and video games, because these products can be very expensive. The storage medium used to store the digital content of these products is often very compact, making it easy to steal.
Digital media is stored in a package. The size of this package varies. In order to discourage theft of the media, in some instances, manufacturers have begun to enlarge the package so that it is more difficult to conceal. In response to this, instead of taking the entire package that includes the digital media, thieves open the package, remove the digital media from the package, and take just the media itself typically leaving the package in the store. The removal of the media from the package is typically done in the store itself before the thief leaves the store.
Known solutions attach some type of security device to the package itself and not to the digital media. Some type of security detection device is typically provided at the entrance to the store to detect whether the security device has passed through the security detection device. By opening the package and removing the digital media from its package where the package includes the security device, a thief is able to take the media without being detected. No security device is attached to the media.